Information display device for cigarette lighters

ABSTRACT

Each time a cigarette lighter is actuated, a film picture frame is presented behind a magnifying window in the lighter casing. This film frame may be paid advertising or information material as desired.

United States Patent [191 Semenko INFORMATION DISPLAY DEVICE FOR CIGARETTE LIGHTERS Nicholas E. Semenko, 507 Sinclair Ave., Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada Filed: Feb. 8, 1973 Appl. No.: 330,593

Inventor:

us. Cl. 431/253 Int. Cl. F23q 2/32 Field of Search 431/253; 235/91 R References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 5/1973 Herr 431/253 X [4 June 11, 1974 Primary Examiner-Edward G. Favors Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Stanley G. Ade

[57 ABSTRACT Each time a cigarette lighter is actuated, a film picture frame is presented behind a magnifying window in the lighter casing. This film frame may be paid advertising or information material as desired.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures INFORMATION DISPLAY DEVICE FOR CIGARETTE LIGHTERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices for displaying information or advertising upon the actuation of a cigarette lighter.

Conventional advertising and information material is often presented on match books or the like which are used by smokers to ignite cigars, cigarettes or pipes.

However, such 'match book covers are relatively short lived and inasmuch as many smokers utilize an automatic cigarette lighter, the impact of such advertising or information material isnot as great as it could be.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes this lack of impact by providing means to present information material or advertising through-the casing of a cigarette lighter each time same is operated.

The material may be advertising or may be such information material as health warnings, the principles of operation being similar in both cases, namely each time the smoker actuates the cigarette lighter, a new frame of information or advertising is presented through a magnifying viewing window in the side of the casing.

The principal object and essence of the invention is therefore to provide a device of the character herewithin described which enables a plurality of advertisements or informational pictures to be presented sequentially each time the cigarette lighter is operated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is adaptable for use with either the type of lighter using a thumb'operated rotatable fling wheel device or, in cigarette' lighters using the thumb impressed type of actuator.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described in which may be incorporated if desired, an audio system for sound pick-up from the film strip.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which provides repetitive long-lasting information or material to the smoker whether it be advertising or health facts or both.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and other such objects and advantages aswill become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which;

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1, butwith FIG. 3 is an isometric view of an alternative embodiment with the casing broken away to show the interior thereof.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Proceeding therefore to describe the invention in detail, two embodiments are shown, one embodiment being illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the second embodiment in FIG. 3.

Dealing first with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, reference character illustrates a casing of a cigarette lighter of the type which includes a flip-top lid 11 giving access tothe wick (not illustrated) and a striker wheel or thumb operated wheel 12 attached to a conventional flint wheel mechanism illustrated sche matically by reference character 13.

The striker wheel 12 is mounted upon a support spindle 14 which is journalled for rotation within upper and lower bearings 15 within the upper and lower ends 16 of the case or casing 10 A ratchet mechanism 17 is situated between the wheel 12 and the spindle 14 so that when the thumb wheel or striker wheel is actuated in the direction of arrow 18, the spindle l4'rotates, but when the wheel is released, means are provided to return it to the original position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, without the spindle backing up.

A hair pin type spring 19 has one end 20 engaged within the underside of the striker or thumb wheel 12 and loops around the spindle 14 and in turn is anchored by the other end 21 to one of a set of vertically situated spindles or posts 22 situated within the casing and which will hereinafter be described.

The tension of the spring is such that as the wheel is moved in the direction of arrow 18, the spring tightens and when the wheel is released, the spring returns it to the position shown. Details of the ratchet mechanism 17 are not shown because such details are to be well known.

An endless film strip belt collectively designated 23 is provided bearing a plurality of information or pictures or ads shown schematically by reference character 24. Theseare a series of pictures or information or graphics or the like placed upon the outer surface of the endless belt 23 and this endless belt is mounted for movement in a horizontal plane relative to the casing 10, by the provision of a plurality of the aforementioned posts 22, each being situated adjacent one corner of the casing 10 andsupported for rotation in bearings 25 in the upper and lower surfaces 16 of the easing.

Sprocket wheels 26 are secured to the posts 22 and a piece of these sprocket wheels engage within sprocket wheel apertures 27 formed around the upper and lower longitudinal edges of the endless belt strip 23.

A drive sprocket wheel 28 is secured to the shaft 14 1 so that rotation of this shaft incrementally by operation of the striker or thumb wheel 12, shifts the belt around the casing in the direction of arrow 29.

A viewing window 30 is provided in one wall of the casing, preferably the wall through which the striker or thumb wheel 12 extends and magnifier windows 31 are provided within the aperture so that the pictures or information or graphics are magnified as they appear incrementally behind these windows.

If desired, sound strip material shown schematically by reference character 32 may be incorporated within the endless belt 23 and a sound pick-up device shown schematically by reference character 33 may be incorporated and connected to a speaker 34 all of which may be located within the casing. I

However, as such mechanisms are well known, for example, as used in talking dolls and the like, his not believed necessary to describe details of the operation thereof. V

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is particularly suited for use with the type of cigarette, pipe or cigar lighter which is actuated by depressing a thumb lever 35. This not only actuates the flint wheel mechanism, but raises the wick shield 36 at the same time.

In this embodiment, the film picture strip takes the form of a disc or circular plate 37 journalled upon a spindle 38 extending between the two side faces of the casing 10, for rotation in a vertical plane relative to the casing.

The graphics or pictures 24 are placed upon one face of the disc 37 and 'are mounted to appear through the window aperture 30 which is also covered by the magnifier window 31 as shown and hereinbefore described.

A linkage rod or lever 39 is connected by one end thereof to the thumb actuated lever 35 and extends downwardly to lie tangently relative to the periphery 40 of the disc 37.

A plurality of radially extending flexible fins 41 are provided upon the periphery which flex as they bear against rod 39. However, due to the close proximity of the actuating end 42 of the rod, to the periphery 40, the disc will be urged in the direction'of arrow 43 each time lever 35 is depressed and when the lever is released, the resiliency of the next successive fin will permit same to flip past the end 42 of the rod 39 to take up the position shown in FIG. 3.

In operation, the individual pictures may be showing advertising such as a range of cars or the like, or alternatively, may present health facts either pictorially, graphically or by words, warning of the dangers of smoking, highway driving safety or the like. It will be noted that the drawings show two sets of graphics on the same disc or strip so that both advertising and information may be presented at the same time if desired.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

.l.- A cigarette lighter comprising in combination a casing, igniting mechanism in the upper side of said casing including a manually operated member operatively connected to said igniting mechanism, a magnifying view window in one wall of said casing, a film picture strip mounted for movement in said casing, said strip including a plurality of individual pictures thereon, and means to move said strip in said casing whereby said individual pictures are presented succesix y. bettin said viewtqawins waseiq m ager! move said strip being operatively connected to said manually operated member for movement thereby said film strip taking the form of an endless belt having said individualpictures mounted thereon in side by side relationship, said means to move said strip including a plurality of support posts adjacent the corners of said casing, idler sprocketson said posts, and apertures in the longitudinal edges of said belt engageable with said sprocket teeth.

2. The device according to claim 1 in which said flint wheel mechanism includes a flint wheel, a spindle for said flint wheel, a ratchet mechanism mounting said flint wheel on said spindle whereby rotation of said flint wheel in one direction will rotate said spindle, spring means for returning said flint wheel to the original position when released, and drive sprocket means on said spindle also operatively engageable with the apertures in said endless belt. 

1. A cigarette lighter comprising in combination a casing, igniting mechanism in the upper side of said casing including a manually operated member operatively connected to said igniting mechanism, a magnifying view window in one wall of said casing, a film picture strip mounted for movement in said casing, said strip including a plurality of individual pictures thereon, and means to move said strip in said casing whereby said individual pictures are presented successively behind in said viewing window, said means to move said strip being operatively connected to said manually operated member for movement thereby said film strip taking the form of an endless belt having said individual pictures mounted thereon in side by side relationship, said means to move said strip including a plurality of support posts adjacent the corners of said casing, idler sprockets on said posts, and apertures in the longitudinal edges of said belt engageable with said sprocket teeth.
 2. The device according to claim 1 in which said flint wheel mechanism includes a flint wheel, a spindle for said flint wheel, a ratchet mechanism mounting said flint wheel on said spindle whereby rotation of said flint wheel in one direction will rotate said spindle, spring means for returning said flint wheel to the original position when released, and drive sprocket means on said spindle also operatively engageable with the apertures in said endless belt. 